Control mechanism for end matching machines



" June 3,, 1924.

C. J. MARSHALL CONTROL lmclunusn Pen an!) rwrcmus MACHINES Filed April14 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 3 1924. 1,496,480

c. J. MARSHALL CONTROL HEdHANISM FOR END MATCHING MACHINES Filed April14. 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 3 1924- C. J. MARSHALL con-ram, uncx-mmsmFOR END MATCHING mcmrms Filed April 14 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 W Q BW hm qMl 0 0 W I: 1 mm mm Q 1 I \J\ 1:59

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Sheets-Sheet 4 QDN NN NR.

Filed April 14 1923 Qb Nb win/adj Patented June 3, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES J. MARSHALL, or BELorr, wxsconsm. assmnon. r0 1'. 1a. YATESMACHINE COMPANY, or smart, WISCONSIN, A oonromrmn or wrsoonsm.

CONTROL MECHANISM son min-transitive macmrms.

Application fileii April 14, 1923; Serial Ne. 681 972;

To (171 HF/LONE it may cmwcrn Be it known that I. (Rooms Jone: Mensniuma citizen of the United States, residing at Beloit, in the county ofRock and State of ll isconsin, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in (lontrol Mechanisms for End Ma tching Machines, of whichthe following is a specification.

The present invention relates to novel means for controlling orgoverning antematically the action of end mate-hers designed to providethe tongues and grooves on the ends of boards. and other mechanisms ofsimilar character.

Its purpose is to stop the operation and feed of the matcherautomatically if a board enters it improperlv, as by becoming cloggedbetween the board advancing" lugs on the endless feed chain and thepiessnre or gauge h ars above it, the mechanism also having correlativemeans to permit tlie-rerersal of the motion of the conveyor chain torelease the 'amined board.

The improved appliance is of simple structure and economical to produce,and acts also as a safety appliance in case the hand of theoperatorljecomcs caught in the mechanism, whereby the operation of thematcher will stop before injury can be done to such member of theworkman.

In order that those skilled in this art may have a full and completeunderstanding of the invention, and its various benefits and advantages,I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, a desirable and preferred embodiment thereof, likereference charac-- ters referring to the sameparts throughout theseveral views.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an end matcher equipped with theimproved and novel control mechanism;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the endmatohcr;

Figure 3 is an end View of the same;

l 'ignre 4 is an enlarged elevation of a portion of the a plianceshowing more particularly the en less-chain feeder. the pressure-bars.and the control mechanism Figure 5 is a horizontal section on anenlarged scale on line 5-5 of Figure 7;

Figure 6 is a similar horizontal section on line tl-6 of Figure 7 Figure7 is an enlarged elevation tion of the trip device.

Referring to these drawings, it will be seen that the machine includes asuitable framework 2 1 of appropriate daign and form and that on this insuitable manner, are mounted two horizontal, spaced, parallel shafts 22and 28, the latter being adjustah-le, by suitable screw mechanism, toWard and from the former.

Shaft 22 has fixed thereon a fitting sprocket-Wheel constmction 24cooperating with an endless sprocket-chain of specific construction thelinks sewer -e equipped with internal teethadirptcd to he accommodatedin recesses 27 of the spmc-ltet whiyel the companion shaft 23 having anappropriate, chain-supporting roller or drum 28 of suitable formationaround which the links of the chain are adapted to pass in convenientmanner.

This endless-chain feeder constitutes the subject-matter of myctr-pending patent application SerialNumber {531,973, filed April 14,1923, and neerlf-not here be further detailed. V

A sprocketwrheeh29on the other and 0t shaft 22' is driven by means of asprtfioleetchain '31 encircling the same and also extending around asmaller sprocket-wheel 32 on another shaft 33, rotatable in bearings 34-and 35, and driven from a lower shaft 38, revoluhle in bearings 39, 41and 42 by means of intermeshing gears 36 and 37.

sllaft s is fitted with two pulleys 43 and 44in line with a pair ofpulleysflti and 46 011 21 drive-shalt 4? revoluhle inh'earings 48 48.

l ulley 45 is designed to rotate shaft 38 by of a pormeans of a belt 459cooperating with the two gililleys, and pulley 46'is intended to rotatet e shaft 38 in the opposite direction "by a crossed belt '51 co-actingwith the pulleys 46 and 44.

Drive shaft 47 is revolved in any aproved'manner, as torinstame by amain pulley 52 cooperating with any convenient source of power by abelt, not shown.

A belt-tightener pulley '53 on an arm 54 loose or rockable on shafi 55,oscillatory in bearings 58 and 59. is normally held up against the lowerstretch of the drive belt 49 by means hereinafter described, wherebysuch belt normally maintains operative driving connection with its twopulleys and 43.

I n somewhat similar manner the belttightener pulley 56 is mounted on anarm 57 fixed to shaft and is ordinarily above the crossed belt 51sufficiently so that the latter does not drive the shaft 38 until suchpulley is pressed or forced down upon the upper stretch of the belt in amanner hereinafter indicated.

Shaft 55 has fixed thereto a bifurcated or double-arm memberi61rockingly connected to a horizontal rod 62 which extends forwardlythrough holes in the base of the ma chine, and, in the front of thelatter, it is connected to an arm 65 fastened to a rockshaft 66oscillatory in bearings 67 and provided with a pedal 69.

Rod 62 is surrounded by a coiled expansible spring 63 hearing at one endagainst a portion of the frame and at its other end against a collar 64fastened to the rod, whereby the expansive action of such springnormally maintains the pedal elevated and the pulley 56 in inoperativerelation or elevated position with respect to the crossed or reversebelt 51.

Above the endless chain-conveyor 25, the machine is supplied with two,spaced, parallel. horizontal pressure-bars T1. 71. and beneath'these theframe or table is supplied with two flexible metal bands or strips 72below each of which is a plurality of upwardly-pressing spring-operatedplungers 73 which. as the boards travel above them, through the flexiblebands press such boards up against the under faces of the gauge bars 71,this being a known construction and constituting no part of the presentinvention.

The top faces of the alternate links of the conveyor-chain are fittedwith transverse board-feeding lugs Tel, 'M longer than the width of thechain so that their terminal portions extend and travel over theflexible bands 72, 72. these lugs or blocks being provided for thepurpose of engaging the edges of the boards and feeding them forwardlybeneath the pressure or gauge bars in a manner well understood in thisart.

Two, parallel trip-bars 76, 76 are pivoted to the front ends of thehorizontal gauge or pressure bars 71, 71 and are ordinarily held insubstantially horizontal position in register with the bars 71 by meansof two rods 7 8 (one for each bar) pivoted thereto at 7 9 and extendedupwardly through apertures in a bracket 81, being equipped above eachbracket with limiting or stop nuts 80 which determine the extent ofdescent or position of the trip-bars 76. a spring 77 being interposedabove each bar 76 between a shoulder on its rod 78 and the under face ofthe bracket 81, such springs permitting upward swinging of the bars 76and acting to return the latter to normal position as soon as anyobstruction beneath them passes by.

The upper ends of the rods 78 are beneath lateral extensions 82 on amember 83 rockingly mounted on the bracket 81 at 84 and provided with anupstanding projection 85 connected by a link 86 to an arm 87 fast on anappropriately-mounted, cross, rock shaft 88 equipped with a hook 89pinned or otherwise fastened to its other end at the opposite side ofthe machine.

This oscillatory hook is designed to co-act with another hook member 91on an upright rod 92 vertically slidable in hearings or two separatedblocks 99 screwed into the frame of the machine.

Rod 92 has pinned thereto an apertured plate 93 with a pair of feet 94,94 hearing and slidable on the adjacent face of the frame of themechanism, and another rod 95 extends through a hole in such member 93and is supported on a spring 97 encircling that portion of the rod 95above the part 93 and bearing at its lower end on the latter element,the rod being fitted with nuts 96 resting on the top end of the spring.

The lower end of this vertical rod 95 which is bent horizontally ispivotally connected at 98 to the loose arm 54 and is designed to holdthe belt-tightener pulley 53 up against ,the bottom stretch of the belt19.

An upright flat bar 101, at the side of the rod 92, has its lower endbent inwardly to provide a foot 102 which is apertured to receive therod 92, and it has an arm 103 riveted thereto and pulled downwardly by acoil, contractile spring 104 having its upper end secured thereto andits lower end fastened to the frame of the machine at 105.

The upper end of this bar 101 is pivotally connected to one arm of abell-crank 106 fulcrumed on the frame at 107 the complementary arm ofthe bell-crank being connected by a link 108 to an arm 109 rigid with ashaft 111 oscillatory in a air of bearings 112, 112 at the front of t emachine and fitted at one end with an operatin handle 113.

Tliis end-matcher is supplied with the usual cutoff saw 121 rotated bymeans of a belt 122 encircling a pulley 123 on shaft 47, the belt beingmaintained tight by a pulley 124 cooperating with its upper part.

The machine is also fitted with one or more saws to provide the tonguesor grooves on the ends of the boards. but these have not been shownsince they are a well known part of the construction. They are, howeveroperated from pulley 125 on shaft 47 through the action of a drive belt126.

Under ordinary or usual conditions the rod 92 is held in the elevatedposition deunease picted'in Figures 1 and 7 by reason; of the the lugs74. to carry the boards. 200 forwardly under the gauge or pressure bars,such boards being placed in position on the feed chain or endless bed bythe operator.

Under regular circumstances. the pulley.

56 is in such position by reason of the action-of spring 63 that it doesnot render the crossed-belt operative.

Under these conditions, the boards: 200 when properly placed by theoperator on the conveyor or feed chain pass beneath the gauge pressurebars 71 against the bottom fiacesof which they are held firmly pressedby the plungers 73, andas they are carried along by the lugs or blocks74 on the conveyor-chain their ends are severed by the saw 121 and theother saw or saws, not shown, provide such square ends with eithertongues or grooves as the case may be.

If' an unduly thick board should. pass beneath the members 7 6, or if aboard should travel below such members on top of one of the lugs 74, orif the operator should accidentally permit his hand to pass beneath oneof the elements 76- on top of one of the boards or lugs, these parts 76would: be automatically raised against the action of their springs 77,and, through the-connections described, they would rock the shaft 88 torelease the hook 89 from the book 91, in consequence of which, due tothe downward pull on the rod 92, it and its companion rod 95 quicklydescend permitting the roller or pulley 53 to become sufiicientlylowered to render the belt 49 inoperative, whereupon, this drivingconnection of the machine having been rendered inoperative, the feedingoperation of the machine as a whole stops, although the saws maycontinue to revolve.

The member 92 in thus descending, carries with it the block 93 and thedownward movements of these parts is arrested when such element engagesthe inturned end 102 of the bar 101.

In order now to release the jammed board or boards, or the operatorshand if such has by accident become caught, the workman steps on thepedal 69, depressing it, thereby rocking shaft 55 so as to press theroller or pulley 56 down on to the crossed belt, whereupon the operationof the feeding mechanism is reversed and the chain-conveyor backed up,thus releasing the jammed board or the operators hand.

As soon as this has occurred, the operator removes his foot from thepedal, and, by

pulling forwardly on the handle 113, raises the bar 101 and at the sametime the companion rods 92 and 95 until the former becomes again hookedto. the latch 89, the latter now being in position tor co-actiontherewith by reason of the removal of the improperly placed board, whichpermits the. parts7'6; to respond to the action of their sprin s 77 andassume their normal horizonta position.

Such return of the rods 92 and 95 to elevated position of courserestores the belttightener pulley 53 to normal operative relation withits belt 49*, thus again establishing proper forward driving connectionwith the matcher.

As soon as the operator releases handle 113 it. automatically rocks backto its usual elevated position as shown in Figure 1 by reason ofthe;contraction of spring 104.

It will be readily seen, therefore, that the operator through the use ofthe pedal. and the handle has full control of the machine and mayquickly release any jammed boards hence readily restoring the machine tonormal or natural operative condition.

The tripping of the mechanism is wholly automatic, but its restorationtoordinary active condition depends upon the operator working the partsas specified above.-

This invention is susceptible of a variety of satistactory embodimentsand the one illustrated and described may be modified within more orless radical limits without departurefrom the heart and essence of theinvention and without the sacrifice of any of-its substantialbenefitsand advantages.

I claim:

1. In a lumber endmatching machine, the combinationof means to feedboards forwardly to the matching mechanism of the machine, a trip tostop the action of said feeding means automatically upon the oc currenceof abnormal conditions, means to reverse the direction of feed of saidfeeding means to permit the operator to remove the abnormal condition,and means permitting the restoration of said feeding means to normaluntripped operative condition to permit continuance of the customaryforward feed of the boards only after such removal of the abnormalcondition.

2. In a lumber end-matching machine, the combination of means to feedboards forwardly to the matching mechanism of the machine, a trip tostop the action of said feeding means automatically upon the occurrenceof abnormal conditions, footoperated means to reverse the direction offeed of said feeding means to permit the operator to remove the abnormalcondition. and means at least in part manually-operated to restore saidfeeding means to normal untrippcd operative condition to permitcontinuance of the customary forward feed of boards only after suchremoval of the abnormal condition.

3. In a lumber end-matching machine, the combination of means to feedboards forwardly to the matching mechanism of the machine, a belt-drivefor said feeding means, a trip to render said belt-drive automaticallyinoperative upon the occurrence of abnormal conditions, anormally-inoperative belt-drive to reverse the direction of feed of saidfeeding means, means to render said reversedrive temporarily operativeto permit the operator to remove the abnormal condition, and meanspermitting the restoration of said forward-feeding belt-drive to normaluntripped operative condition to permit continuance of the customaryforward feed of boards only after such removal of the abnormalcondition.

I. In a lumber end-matching machine, the combination of means to feedboards forwardly to the matching mechanism of the machine, a belt-drivefor said feeding means, a first belt-tightening pulley to co-act withsaid belt-drive, trip means normally holding said belt-tightening pulleyin co-operative relation with said belt-drive, means to release saidtrip means automatically upon the occurrence of abnormal conditions toeffect *1 the cessation of forward feed of said feeding means, anormally-inc erative belt-drive to reverse the direction of feed of saidfeeding means, a second belt-tightening pulley to cooperate With saidsecond belt-drive, means to render said second belt-tightening pulleyactive on said second belt-drive to permit the operator to remove theabnormal condistretch of said belt-drive, trip means normally holdingsaid belt-tightening pulley up to render said belt-drive operative,means to release said trip means automatically upon the occurrence ofabnormal placing of stock on said conveyor to cause the cessation offorward feed of said conveyor, a normally-inoperative crossed-belt drivefor said conveyor to reverse its direction of feed, a secondbelt-tightening pulley adapted to cooperate with said crossed-beltdrive, pedal 1 means to render said second belt-tightening pulleyoperative on said crossed-belt to temporarily reverse the direction offeed of said conveyor to permit the operator to remove the abnormalcondition, and means at least in part hand-operated to restore saidfirst belt'tightening pulley to normal untripped operative condition topermit continuance of the customary forward feed of boards only aftersuch removal of the abnormal condition.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal. a

CHARLES J. MARSHALL. [L.s.]

